Having well-thought-out naming strategies for your start-up business and the products and services you offer can make a world of difference. A great name can provide an advantage over your competitors when it comes to marketing and generating sales. In comparison, a poorly chosen name could leave your audience scratching their heads in confusion.
Avoid getting attached to a name before completing an enhanced name search for existing businesses and trademarks. Verify if your desired domain name and social media handles are available. Find out if there are similarly named companies in other industries and whether those similarities could negatively impact your brand.
The goal is to get it right the first time. Customers don’t always respond positively to change. Even large corporations have abandoned their expensive rebranding efforts due to the negative response from their customer base. Avoid potential headaches down the road by starting with a clear naming strategy for your start-up business.
Securing Your Business Name
If you have no idea where to start, a business name generator can help you brainstorm keywords and provide basic name suggestions. Some name generators can simultaneously check the availability of a domain name and social media handle. If online sales are an essential part of your business strategy, it’s best to keep it concise and easy to remember. It would also be wise to allow room for flexibility if you wish to expand your product or service offerings down the road.
A generic domain name that includes a keyword for your product or service can provide clarity for the consumer and some additional SEO benefits. Although the reality is most generic names are already taken and won’t help you stand out as a unique brand. It will likely be an uphill battle to rank in the top search results over an already established online business or stand out from a swarm of local competitors with similar names. Another disadvantage is when it comes to differentiating your social media hashtags. You will have to decide if name visibility is your priority or if you want to also focus on quality messaging and retention.
Once you’ve decided on a unique company name, it is now time to check to see if the domain is available for purchase by searching the ICANN database. A website like namecheckr.com can simultaneously check the availability of usernames on all major social media platforms.
Imagine you’re creating a business card or promotional flyer with a different username for each platform. Having to remember multiple usernames or spelling variations only causes more confusion and a less user-friendly experience for the consumer. Use one username across all accounts. Your single username shouldn’t exceed the maximum character limit allowed by each platform.
When selecting a top-level domain, you should go with the .com name extension unless your industry standards call for an alternate naming convention. For example, a not-for-profit organization may choose to go with a .org extension. When another company has already taken a domain name, some businesses take shortcuts using the same name but with a localized domain extension like .ca.
Successfully purchasing a domain name does not mean you have the legal right to use it. As a new business, it would be wise to avoid costly legal disputes with a more established company.
The method and way you choose to register your physical business will dictate how much it will cost. It is usually more cost-effective to register your business online. It is always a good idea to invest in a business name search. At a minimum, take time to research Google and access public government databases like the Corporation Canada Database, the Canadian Trademarks Database, and the WIPO Global Brand Database.
Government offices have a different turnaround for paper applications versus their digital ones. There is room for error since paper documents take longer to process and updated in their online database. Some databases have limitations when it comes to searching specific industries like the financial industry. Online databases are an excellent place to start, but you should always go with a paid business name search for improved accuracy.
Know the History of a Name
Understand the history of a name and how it relates to your audience. It would be difficult to defend your brand if the name includes a term that is considered offensive or racially insensitive to a group of people. Being edgy is one thing, but standards of what is acceptable change over time. The same group you offend will work hard to tear down your brand. There are already examples of companies, sports teams, and products seen as racist or culturally insensitive. Sales may momentarily increase from the initial controversy, but it will only tarnish your brand in the long run.
Before buying a domain name, understand its history or domain health. A business name may be available because a company dissolved or abandoned it. Check for negative online reviews, complaints on the Better Business Bureau website, public legal databases for any possible action taken against the past owner under that name, trademark databases, social media pages, hacked and pawned emails databases, as well as mail server blacklists.
Purchasing Strategies for Domain Names
There is no solid proof that an aged domain can be an advantage for SEO. However, purchasing an existing or previously used domain name will be more expensive than a newly discovered one. Once you have one registered, avoid letting it expire because it will cost much more to get it back once auctioned. You could go from spending only a few dollars a year to thousands of dollars to get back the domain you previously owned.
Most domain and hosting providers accept promotional codes for first-time customers or existing customers who purchase a new product. You can Google promo codes or search for them on dedicated promo code websites like couponfollow.com. Understanding how a discount will be applied is make a difference in your savings. Sometimes when you do the math, you save more with a fixed amount of dollars of than a percentage discount.
Timing-wise, some discounts are applied to the first month or year and will disappear on renewal. You may not have the option to use another promo code on renewal or qualify for the same great discounts as an existing customer. Make a choice that works for you in the long term because there may be hidden costs for transferring each domain name or host to a new provider.
Registering your domain name and hosting with separate companies may provide a strategic advantage in the event of a billing dispute. A domain name could get held ransom by a shady web developer or a difficult hosting company looking for leverage.
Register your domain name on your own so that you can maintain ownership and control. Keep a recent backup of your website at a secure location other than your hosting provider in the event you can’t rely on them. Remember that whoever has access to your host also access your emails. Some business owners choose to use a separate company like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 to manage company emails separately. Another reason is improved security features and access to cloud software that works well for collaboration.
Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 can be purchased through your hosting provider or directly then configured for your host. Some domain providers will sell you an email with your domain name. It may be an unnecessary expense because most hosting packages include emails.
Connecting your domain name to your hosting company is a simple process that only requires that nameservers be updated. It’s as easy as calling a customer service representative and providing them with the nameserver details your hosting provided emailed to you after signing up. When your nameservers are updated, you can lock them to prevent your domain name from accidentally being transferred to another owner.
One feature offered that is worthwhile is Domain Privacy. It is beneficial for businesses registered to a home address because it hides your personal information from public view. Domain privacy may not be necessary if you have a .ca domain for personal use or you fall under the protection of the European Union data protection and privacy laws under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Some domain provides offer Business Registration, which is not for registering your business but adds visibility to your domain registration with images and additional details. It is unnecessary to purchase this feature unless you are desperately attempting to increase your domain’s credibility.
A Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate or Transport Layer Security (TLS) certification would be a better investment than a domain business registration. You can purchase these certificates from your hosting provider to add an extra layer of security to your website, online purchases and emails. When activated and configured, a lock will show on the search bar of web browsers to let visitors know your website is trustworthy and the connection is secure. There are at least six different types of SSL Certificates. In most cases, the standard SSL Certificates offered by your hosting provider will do.
Maintaining Your Domain Name
There’s little excuse for allowing your domain to expire. Domain registrars send notice in advance of upcoming expiration dates. An additional thirty-day grace period takes effect before being added to the auction pool.
Auto-renewal is usually a default feature of your domain registrar. Although there are obvious benefits, it also requires giving up control of your renewal. The result could lead to auto-renewing for more years than intended. By the time you’ve realized, the refund period for the extra years you didn’t want could be over, and you will likely only qualify for an account credit. Auto-renews isn’t foolproof either. Credit cards expire every three to four years, and sometimes transactions fail to go through.
No matter what errors may happen, you alone will be responsible for keeping on top of things and managing your domain. By following our naming strategies, you’ll have a much easier time choosing and securing a great name for your start-up business.